Welcome back to Angel Sands, where the air is heating up...
Some people are like sun rays, impossible to pin down. But from the moment Jackson sets eyes on Lydia Paxton, he wants her anyway. Now he just needs to persuade her that he's playing for keeps.
Chasing The Sun is an all-new standalone romance, set in the small town of Angel Sands.
Carrie Elks is an international bestselling author of traditionally-published and self-published novels. Her books are sweet yet sexy contemporary small town romance stories. You can find her in all these places:
He has that little lost boy, bad boy combination women can’t resist. Women want to save him and ravage him at the same time.
Jackson wasn’t one for talking, especially not deeply. In the days she’d spent with him, she’d learned more from his silences than his sentences.
She was his kind of crazy.
Home wasn’t a town or a city or any physical location. It was the thing that filled your soul. The place in your heart filled with the people you love.
My Review:
Although I haven’t been lucky enough to read them all, this has been such a fun series with lovable characters, low angst, relatable issues, and engaging storytelling that continues on into each standalone installment. The couples are earnest, likable, and endearing people whom I would enjoy knowing. The writing is easy to follow and enjoyable to read. Sigh, I can only hope Ms. Elks continues this series into perpetuity and decides to write a tale for every resident in this small beach town.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntarily, honest review of it.
‘Chasing the sun’ is the 7th book in the ‘Angel Sands’ series. I have read each book in this small beach town series and I have enjoyed them all. You don’t have to read the previous books before reading this one though. Each book can be read as a standalone. But it is wonderful to see familiar faces again in each book and to see how the other couples are doing.
If you have read the other books in this series then you will remember Lydia and Jackson, they were secondary characters in other stories. Lydia is Autumn’s younger sister and Jackson is the last single guy in the friends group. We only saw little bits of him in the past, so it was interesting to discover and see more sides of him in this story, to get to know him better.
‘Chasing the sun’ was a sweet and entertaining story. I enjoyed it very much. It was a light and easy read, perfect to forget your worries and to enjoy some romance on the beach. Both characters, Lydia and Jackson were wonderful. Lydia is a travel consultant (she arranges personalized trips & even accompany the travellers on their journeys) so she never stays long in one place. She’s really a free spirit with a kind heart, very empathic, funny, sweet and with a very sunny and happy nature.
Jackson is a business owner, specialized in cyber security. He’s a workaholic, so very hardworking, intelligent but also a good friend.
From the beginning there was a connection between Lydia and Jackson. One that felt very easy and natural, something wonderful to see and feel. But the fact that Lydia had to leave soon, did create tension in that relationship. It was hard to see and feel. But still the time that they spend together was very fantastic and emotional.
In the story you got both POV’s and there was an epilogue. I was very grateful for that! It may have been the seventh book in the series but it still felt fresh and entertained. I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series because it really feels like meeting with ‘old’ friends and revisiting a warm, sunny place.
This lighthearted, sweet, and sexy addition to Carrie Elks' Angel Sands series is yet another gem and provides a much needed virtual vacation in a book. The story features local Jackson Lewis, a technology business owner who provides cybersecurity. But there is really nothing that can protect his heart from the whirlwind that is Lydia Paxton.
The southern California beach town of Angel Sands hosts many vacation travelers, but none as unique as Lydia, who travels for a living. There is something infectious about Lydia. She's naturally flirty and bubbly, but I also found her to be very brave, unguarded, and refreshing. Jackson is a workaholic but that doesn't negate how much he cares for his friends. Furthermore, his loyalty knows almost no bounds. While he's been warned off Lydia but the chemistry and draw between them can't be helped. They both believe that whatever they have is mostly just a distraction, but it's is most certainly contained by the time limit of Lydia's time in Angel Sands.
Carrie Elks delivers a delightful love story, one focused on community and family ties. I loved the journey that brought Jackson and Lydia together. To build on that they must decide to take chances and adjust to the possibilities of "a them". The story is well-paced and a quick and engaging read. 4 stars and recommendation.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Lydia career has given her the opportunity to open her life up to new experiences in new places, but it also means that her life is constantly changing. Spending the next two weeks in Angel Sands will allow her to spend time with her sister and along the way she may just realize what she didn’t know she was missing in her life.
For Jackson his company comes first, his friends second and romance a distant third. From his first meeting with Lydia, she brings fun and spontaneity to his life unlike anything he has experienced, and he realizes there is more to life than the way he has been living it but will he be able to convince her to stay?
There is no denying that Lydia and Jackson belong together and seeing their relationship develop as they realize it as well will keep you entertained from beginning to end.
This was a lighthearted, easy, fun, and sexy read. Lydia and Jackson have instant and explosive chemistry but they both weren't really looking for a relationship. It's not angsty although they do have obstacles to overcome. This is a great beach or poolside read to help you escape life for a little while.
It’s so good to be back in Angel Sands. It’s like an old friend. I loved this latest instalment from a place I would love to visit. Jackson and Lydia are on paper not a match but they just work. Lydia is a whirl wind in Jackson’s calm and structured life. They both find what grey were missing in each other and find home.
He is a focused workaholic and she is a free spirited travel advisor/planner who bumbles into his life and tilts it on its side.
There was no stopping the attraction between Lydia and Jackson, they definitely sizzle. Both of them have so much heart and kindness. The only thing standing in their way is themselves. I enjoyed reading about them along with the other couples that we've already met and loved from Angel Sands.
I’ve been reading the Angel Sands series since the first book came out in 2019, and I’ve loved every single one of these books. So when I read the 7th book ‘Chasing The Sun’ was coming out I got super excited. And I was lucky enough to be able to read an ARC. Every book in this series is a standalone.
In ‘Chasing The Sun’ we meet Jackson Lewis. Jackson is known as being a workaholic playboy. Not that he treats woman badly, not at all.. but he is supposed to have a lot of flings. Well.. let people think that. The truth is Jackson, is just a workaholic working 80 hours a week. He can definitely use a break, and when his best friend asks him to pick up his sister in law from the airport he does it thinking this will give him a little break before he can get back to work. But Lydia Paxton is the most beautiful, fun and exciting woman he has seen in a long time. And its very hard to stay away from her, even if she is only here for two weeks.
The fun thing about this series, is the fact we get to read a little bit about future and past characters from the series. Without it feeling like you need to have read the previous books. But I definitely love the fact I know all these characters. And throughout the previous books I read a little about Jackson and Lydia. And I was really looking forward to reading their story. And I was not disappointed.
From the very first page I definitely loved this book. Jackson and Lydia are really fun to get to know. They seem to be complete opposites, but from the start there is this chemistry between them that is flying off the pages. Jackson has been hurt in the past, and has build this ‘safe’ life for himself. But Lydia makes him want to be different. Lydia is this free, fun and kind of intense girl who loves to travel and has made her career out of her hobby. And from the moment she sees Jackson, she starts doubting her way of life.
I loved the connection between Jackson and Lydia. They where so good together, and I loved how they both got better for being in each other’s life. They only have these two weeks together and they have to make every minute count. And they sure do.
I love the setting of Angel Sands. There’s just something about this charming sunny town that makes me want to keep on reading. And these books seem to get sexier and more fun every book I read.
‘Chasing The Sun’ was a very fun, romantic and sexy read I’d definitely recommend.
I really have to thank Carrie Elks for writing yet another beautiful love story that set my heart afloat, made me fall in love with a new couple in Angel Sands and made me feel all the feels.
I really love and adore the small town of Angel Sands and I just feel so connected to the friend group and their families:)! They all help each other when they need advise on anything in life and love and they are not afraid to tell the truth if one of their friends act stupid or not normal. Everybody knows everybody and of course there is a lot of gossip but there is no judgement from anyone just good advise.
Jackson Lewis is such a swoon worthy geeky hero who focuses solely on his security-system firm which he build up himself and now is in high demand, so he is working all the time and forgets himself and what makes him happy. But then one day he promises his best friend Griffin to pick up Griffin’s sister-in-law Lydia from the airport and lets just say his life will never be the same again;)! Lydia is a whirlwind that sweeps into town and spreads joy all over and she gets Jackson to relax and realize that there are other things in life than work. She talks him into dog sitting Eddie, who they find at the side of the road, until his family is found. And she gets him to open his eyes to love again, but Lydia is a free spirit that lives to travel and she is leaving in two weeks. Is two weeks enough for these two wonderful people to open their eyes and realize that they belong together?
I loved Jackson and Lydia so much and even though they are so different, they actually find out that what they want in life is not that different at all. And the way Jackson takes care of and falls for Eddie the dog is so cute and swoon worthy. I just loved the interactions between these two.
I can definitely recommend this book and series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was given this book in turn for an honest review.
If you thought the Angel Sands series could not get any better, than be prepared to be proven wrong! I devoured this book in two nights, it would have been one, if I had not needed to get up early the next day. Carrie Elks builds the undeniable attraction between Jackson and Lydia from the minute they meet, this is not a story where they deny any attraction, it is a story of where they find the other half of their soul.
I loved how Lydia brought out the side of Jackson he had buried deep, the wall he had built to protect his heart. She not only showed him what the world had to offer, but what he had to offer the world.
Jackson and Lydia were both adventurous and full of life when they let their walls down; they were perfect for each other. They kept me smiling from start to finish, and not once did I find myself wanting to give either a wakeup call, for them to see what was in front of them. This was not that kind of story; it was a beautiful love story that filled my heart to bursting point with adoration. Deep down you could see they both wanted the same, that they were both ready to take that next step, they just needed to say the words aloud.
A beautiful, heartfelt contemporary romance story that will not disappoint.
Although this story can be read as a standalone, to get the full enjoyment from this series and because I love this series, you really should ALL be reading it, I recommend starting with he first book in the Angel Sands series, Let Me Burn.
Carrie Elks has delivered another gem of an escape to idyllic Angel Sands!
In this installment, Autumn's sister Lydia comes to visit for her niece's naming day, when she'll be named godmother. She is picked up from the airport by Griff's friend Jackson, who is to be godfather. On the way to Angel Sands, they find a stray dog, so they take him to the local vet. Surprising even himself, Jackson offers to foster the dog until his family can be found. Lydia offers to help him, so they are slated to spend some time together during her visit.
They find themselves attracted to each other, but fight this for various reasons. Lydia travels the world as a sought-after travel consultant, and is in no hurry to put down roots. Jackson has a bit of a reputation, so Griff has warned him off pursuing Lydia and is a workaholic to boot.
Eventually, they decide to give in to their attraction, and spend the next few days trying to convince everyone and themselves that it'll just be a holiday fling and they'll go back to being friends when Lydia leaves. Sure, that'll work.
They spend quite a lot of time together, bonding over their goddaughter and Jackson's foster dog, who they named Eddie. Eddie is an absolute delight! You'll enjoy reading about his antics and how he makes Jackson realize there's more to life than work.
Both Jackson and Lydia end up reevaluating their lifestyle, and I really enjoyed witnessing their journey. And as usual, I wish Angel Sands was real; I'd definitely move there!
Jackson ‘Workaholic’ Lewis has no problem letting people believe he’s a player. He’d rather people think that than let them know he has a real lover called work. Spending about 80+ hours a week at the desk is his only real affair. Well, that is, it was, until Lydia Paxton comes on the scene.
Now things are about to get a little flighty, and somewhat dramatic, if not dicey. And, a good dose of romance is inevitable. But when all you have is two weeks together, what’s the big deal? No danger in anything serious getting started, right? Hmmmmm, seems like Jackson and Lydia have a problem. Falling for each other was not in the plan. Oh well, you know what they say …. the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
This is a touching series featuring characters with real life flaws and real life issues and problems. In this book, as the other’s in this series, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to jump inside those pages and straighten out a few people. But that’s what makes this book so good. You are seeing and watching everything happen rather than just reading about it.
So sit back, take a few hours all to yourself and enjoy watching how this couple works things out.
I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily leave my review
I've read and really enjoyed every book in this Angel Sands small-town romance series; this one was my least favorite. The families and neighbors in this small California coastal town give the series a cozy feel. Each book is a standalone but the main characters come back in supporting roles. This story focuses on Jackson, a long-time resident/workaholic tech businessman, and new mother and resident Autumn's visiting, globetrotting sister Lydia. I just was not as invested in the main characters this time.
I blame it mostly on female lead Lydia who struck me as a bit self-absorbed and manipulative. She wrapped Jackson around her finger with her sunny, lively personality but I felt she was expecting him and everyone else to just bow to her expectations. Meanwhile she had her own plans that she did not intend to compromise on no matter how that affected others.
All's well in the end and there are a good number of heated intimate scenes, a few emergencies to up the dramatic quotient, some cute dogs, a cuddly baby to christen, and play and party time on the beach. It just took me a long time to warm to Lydia!
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
I was so excited to read another Angel Sands story and I wasn't disappointed. I loved the storyline which flowed really well and kept me enthralled throughout; I really didn't want to put it down. It made me quite emotional at times but also made me smile at others; the perfect combination.
The characters were well rounded and extremely likeable. I just loved Jackson Kane and thoroughly enjoyed watching him turn from a workaholic into the sweet caring person he really was. Lydia Paxton was so funny and persuasive that I couldn't help liking her. She certainly got Jackson changing his life for her.
I also loved catching up with the lives of all the other residents of Angel Sands who I have read about in the previous books in the series. They are such a great group of people, it's a pleasure to revisit their lives. Angel Sands is definitely a place I would like to be.
This is the seventh angel Sands book but it really can be read as a standalone, you won't feel you are missing anything, but once you have finished you will want to read all the others.
Well this is the seventh Angel Sands book and although it's part of a series of 100% can be read as a standalone. Visiting Angel Sands is like putting on your most comfortable Pj's and slippers it just feels right.
The characters in this book were incredible and I loved Lydia from the first page. I dare anyone not to like her because she is one of those characters that will appeal to everyone. Jackson I took a bit more to warm to but in the end I loved him as well. The side characters were amazing and Eddie and Bella just make the book they were amazing. It was so great to see everyone and how they are getting on.
The story flowed really well and at times had me laughing and smiling and then other times crying with emotion. Can two people who are polar opposites make it work? Well you will have to read the book to see and at times I wanted to shake both of them cos it would have been much simpler if they had been honest with each other about how they felt.
This book was the perfect comfort read which left you with a big happy sigh at the end. It was amazing.
I’m always happy when Carrie Elks releases a new Angel Sands book. Bring on the beach! Lydia loves to travel. Luckily, she’s able to make a good living doing it. As a sought after travel consultant, she’s much too busy to stay in one place for long. She’s happy to be taking a quick break to visit her sister’s family in Angel Sands. Jackson is a workaholic that barely takes time for a day off, let alone a vacation. He definitely doesn’t make time for dating & relationships. He’s happy for all his friends that have paired off & found love, but he doesn’t see that in his future. Things can change in a hurry thanks to a ride from the airport, a lot of mutual attraction, & a dog. A really great dog. Both Lydia & Jackson have to face things from their pasts, & rethink some deeply held beliefs, before they consider a permanent relationship, but I love the fact that a dog helps them realize they are capable of so much more.
Jackson was known as the local playboy, that is when he was not working. Lydia was a world traveler, a butterfly who was far beyond his reach. She came to town for her niece's naming ceremony and Jackson could not keep his distance, even though he was warned off by her soon to be brother in law, who is also his best friend. Soon Lydia has worked her way into his heart and his life. But all this could be was a blissful interlude as she was going back to her traveling and he will be staying behind. Or will they be brave enough to admit their feelings and find a way to be together? This is a story about misconceptions, of learning to trust that you are enough, to be brave enough to let yourself open to love and the possibilities it bring. I was hooked from the first page and could not put it down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As always with Carrie's books, once I started I didnt want to put this story down. 7th Angel Sands story and they just get better and better, a new couple, a new story but all the friends we have come to know and love. I loved that there was no messing around with these two.. they knew what they wanted and weren't afraid to get it.. it might have took Jackson just a tiny bit more persuading but who can blame him when warned off by Griff ! Lol . Though when it came to feelings they were a little bit slower at admitting to each other just what they were each thinking. Would it be possible to make a relationship work when on the surface it seems like these two are polar opposites to each other? Carrie Elks really is the queen of small town romance with just the right amount of heat.. oh and throw in a lovable dog or two for good measure !! Perfect !!
Chasing The Sun is pure perfection! With the craziest time we are living, I needed a book that would warm my heart and make me smile. And this story not only did that, but it made me be in awe even more with Carrie Elks writing.
Jackson and Lydia are perfect for each other, even when it's obvious to everyone but them. Both are workaholics and successful, but missing something (or in this case someone) to be truly happy and complete. So when Lydia visits Angel Sands for her niece's name gathering, the last she was expecting was to find a home in Jackson.
One furry Eddie will bring them together and lit a spark about life being so much more than work. Chasing The Sun is truly magical. Carrie Elks is the queen of small-town romance and make-you-feel-good stories. Seriously, this book gave me all the feels when I needed it the most. I can't recommend it enough!
4 stars I purchased a copy of the steamy romantic novel Chasing the Sun: A Small Town Romance (Angel Sands California Book 7) by Carrie Elks and this review was given freely.
A close community of good friends, an opposite's attract/ best friend’s fiancée’s sister romance, and a fair amount of family drama are contained in this poignant story featuring the over worked cyber security guru and owner of Lewis Security Systems Jackson Lewis, his strained relationship with his financially needy mother, his best friend Griff and Griff’s fiancée Autumn’s planning a naming day party for their four month old daughter Skylar, and Autumn’s whirlwind free spirited sister Lydia Paxton, who changes the lives of everyone in Angels falls in under two weeks.
Carrie Elks never fails to deliver well-written, emotion-rich steamy romance, and Chasing the Sun, the 7th book in the beautiful Angel Sands series, is no exception. Jackson and Lydia, both of whom have appeared in previous novels in the series (but you do not need to have read them - but WHY wouldn't you?!), are engaging, well-crafted and authentic characters who pull you in and make their story one you can't put down until you reach the last page. Angel Sands, if it was a real place, would be a destination sure - fortunately, Carrie Elks allows us frequent vicarious visits through her wonderful characters!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the seventh book in the Angel Sands series and this book tells the story of Lydia Paxton and Jackson Lewis. Lydia doesn’t actually live in Angel Sands she travels the world giving people the holidays of a lifetime, but she has come for two weeks to visit her sister for her niece’s naming day. Jackson and Lydia get thrown together as Skylar’s godparents but soon they are spending every moment they can together. Lydia is always travelling to far flung places and Jackson is a workaholic how will they work. I really enjoyed getting to know these two and catching up again with other characters from the Angel Sands series.
This book is so filled with emotions. Make sure you have the tissues handy, because if you’re the least bit sensitive, you too will likely be bawling your eyes out before the end. From friends to friends with benefits to something that nearly broke my heart, Jackson and Lydia kept me glued to the page. Anxious to see, not only what would happen next, but also to know how it would be possible for the author to reconcile their very different outlooks and lifestyles. Every time I visit Angel Sands I don’t want to leave, and I’m already counting down the days until I can come back and do it all again. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Booksprout.
What a wonderful, feel good story that has everything….. all the emotions. I loved Lydia and Jackson together, they are both so perfect! I have to say Lydia is the best….. she is so different, so colourful and unique. Probably the best female character I’ve come across in the many stories I’ve read. Lydia and Jackson didn’t break up after a misunderstanding or after having a fight, only to get back together later….Thank goodness as I’m so tired of that over done plot. Instead the author kept their relationship sweet, as they grew to love each other, which made the story so much more special and tender. I will definitely be reading this one again!!!
Can I claim Jackson for me? Please! I am in love. On the other books we always get the idea of him being a "girls chaser" and a big player, always looking for a good time, but Jackson is the cutest thing in all Angel Sands, not to mention he takes amazing care of his business, is the best of friends and is always ready to help, no matter what. And then Miss Lydia appears in the picture. She is the all reason hurricanes are named after people. She is a force of nature. Let's just say that when calmness and chaos collide, the outgoing can be...interesting. This is such a sweet book, no unnecessary drama, everything smooth. Amazing!
The Angel Sands series is one of my favourite reads and this 7th instalment did not disappoint. Carrie Elks is a wonderful storyteller and creates characters whom you can easily fall in love with. Jackson and Lydia (and not to forget “Eddie”) are 3 such characters.
Chasing the Sun is an uplifting and heartwarming small town romance that will keep you turning page after page as you are drawn into the lives of these two loveable characters and their family and friends.
I love revisiting Angel Sands and can’t wait to travel back there in book #8!
Lydia and Jackson, wow I loved this couple, they were so well matched. They were what each other didn’t know they needed fir each other. Lol Jackson becoming foster daddy to a furry friend was what brought them together. Such a heartwarming read that will make you forget the crazy we’re living in right now and just give you so many happy feels lol. Everyone sees how perfect they’d be together. Both are workaholics and very successful, . When Lydia visits Angel Sands for her niece's name gathering she was not expecting to find Jackson and contentment. Loved it.
I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. This is a sweet romance between Lydia and Jackson. It is filled with humor, attraction, and a little drama. These two think that their time can be great together because it is limited. No worries for changing their lives, just enjoy their time together. Neither ever expected to find love just by becoming godparents. I thought the story was well written and the characters were perfect for each other
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Chasing the sun’ is the 7th book in the Angel Sands’ series. Lydia is Autumn’s younger sister and Jackson is the last single guy in there group of friends. Lydia is a travel consultant which means she never stays long in one place to long. Jackson is a business owner, specialized in cyber security. He’s a workaholic, so very hardworking, intelligent but also a good friend. There is a strong connection between these two and this book was a great addition to this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.